AODV Protocol
AODV is a reactive routing protocol, meaning routes are discovered only when needed.
The sender initiates route discovery by broadcasting an RREQ, which includes the
destination IP, destination sequence number, originator IP, and originator sequence number.
Each receiving node updates its routing table, increments the hop count, and forwards the
request while updating the IP header’s source IP and the MAC header’s source MAC. This
continues until the destination is reached.
The destination replies with a unicast RREP, which contains its IP, sequence number, and
the originator’s details. As the RREP travels back, intermediate nodes update their routing
tables. Once the source receives the RREP, it updates its table and starts data transmission.
Purpose of the Sequence Number in AODV
1. Ensuring Freshness of Routes
2. Preventing Routing Loops
3. Handling Route Replies (RREP) Correctly
4. Improving Network Stability
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DSDV Protocol
DSDV is a proactive mobile ad hoc routing protocol, which means nodes must maintain
a routing table for communication with each other using two main types of packets: full
dump and incremental packets. Every time a node wants to send a periodic update, it
increments its sequence number by 2 before sending it. When a node detects that an
adjacent node is down, it will modify that route by setting the metric to infinity and the
sequence number to seqNo + 1, and then broadcast it.
The sequence number plays a crucial role in DSDV as it prevents routing loops and the
counting-to-infinity problem due to the freshness of routes.
DSR Protocol
The Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) protocol is a reactive (on-demand) routing protocol
designed for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Unlike proactive protocols that maintain
routing tables and exchange periodic updates, DSR discovers routes only when needed,
making it highly efficient in dynamic and resource-constrained environments.
How DSR Works:
[Link] Discovery:
· When a source node needs to send data to a destination, it initiates route discovery by
broadcasting a Route Request (RREQ) packet.
· The RREQ is flooded through the network, and each intermediate node appends its
address to the route record in the RREQ.
· If the destination node or an intermediate node with a valid cached route receives
the RREQ, it responds with a Route Reply (RREP) containing the complete route.
· The destination node generates an RREP with the most up-to-date route information.
· An intermediate node can send an RREP if it has a fresh cached route to the
destination, reducing route discovery latency and overhead.
[Link] Maintenance:
· DSR uses Route Error (RERR) packets to notify nodes of broken links.
· If a link failure is detected, the node detecting the failure sends an RERR back to the
source node, which then removes the broken route from its cache and may initiate a new
route discovery.
[Link] Routing:
· DSR employs source routing, where the complete route from the source to the
destination is included in the packet header.
· Intermediate nodes forward packets strictly based on the route specified in the header,
eliminating the need for routing tables.
Mechanisms to Prevent Routing Problems:
[Link]-to-Infinity:
· DSR is immune to the counting-to-infinity problem because it does not use hop
counts or maintain routing tables.
· Routes are discovered on-demand, and stale routes are removed upon receiving an
RERR.
· The absence of a hop count metric ensures that there is no mechanism for hop counts
to increase indefinitely.
[Link] Loops:
· DSR inherently prevents routing loops through its source routing mechanism.
· The complete route is explicitly specified in the packet header, and intermediate nodes
do not make independent routing decisions.
· During route discovery, the route record in the RREQ ensures that the same node is
not traversed multiple times, preventing loops.
Advantages of DSR:
· Low Overhead: Routes are discovered only when needed, reducing control traffic.
· Loop-Free Routing: Source routing and route records ensure loop-free paths.
· Scalability: Suitable for small to medium-sized networks with moderate mobility.
· Efficiency: Intermediate nodes can reply to RREQs with cached routes, reducing
route discovery latency and overhead.
Conclusion:
The DSR protocol is a robust and efficient solution for routing in mobile ad hoc networks. Its
reactive nature, combined with source routing and on-demand route discovery, ensures
efficient route management while effectively addressing the challenges of counting-to-
infinity and routing loops. The ability of intermediate nodes to send RREPs further enhances
its performance, making DSR a preferred choice for dynamic and resource-constrained
environments.
Comparative Table: Proactive vs. Reactive
Routing Protocols in MANETs
Comparative Table Between DCF & PCF